A rare virus has killed 2 Indianapolis Zoo elephants this year. Now a third has it.

Two African elephants born and raised at the Indianapolis Zoo have died in a week. Both elephants had signs of elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV), zoo officials said.
Dwight Adams, dwight.adams@indystar.com

Kedar, a 13-year-old male African elephant, tested negative for elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus until May 6, the zoo said. Zoo staff had been testing elephants twice a week for the virus since the deaths of Kalina and Nyah.

“Kedar is receiving aggressive treatment to help him fight the virus,” Dr. Rob Shumaker, president of the Indianapolis Zoo, said in a release. ”Our veterinary team has consulted with other experts who have dealt with this dreadful disease, and the best possible care is being provided to Kedar.”

The zoo is now conducting daily blood tests on all of the elephants in its herd.

"We are doing absolutely everything in our power, using the most informed medical information available to us,” Shumaker said. “Please keep our Zoo elephants and care staff in your hearts, thoughts, and prayers.”

Kedar, a 13-year-old male elephant at the Indianapolis Zoo, tested positive for elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus on May 6, 2019 the zoo announced. The virus killed two elephants at the zoo in March.(Photo: Provided by the Indianapolis Zoo)

Nyah, a 6-year-old female African elephant at the zoo, died of the virus on March 19. One week later, an 8-year-old female African elephant at the zoo named Kalina died of the virus. Both were experiencing mild stomachaches and loss of appetite before their deaths.

The virus causes fatal hemorrhagic disease in elephants, mainly Asian elephants. It is one of the most devastating viral diseases in elephants. There is no vaccine for it, and it is not preventable. It has an 85% mortality rate.

Humans and other species cannot contract the virus.

More information about the virus

The virus was discovered when a young Asian elephant, Kumari, died at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in 1995. Since then, scientists have studied strains of the virus and found them in nearly all elephants, both in the wild and in human care.

Scientists have identified 14 genetically distinct strains of elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus, some of which seem to be harmless, but all of which can lie dormant and undetectable for years. Like many other herpesviruses, elephants can test positive for the virus but exhibit no symptoms or ill effects.